Elma, Washington – Bus Struck by Railroad Crossing Arm, Drives Over Tracks Ahead of Train

Elma, Washington (June 4, 2019) – A school bus was struck by a railroad crossing arm but still proceeded to drive over the train tracks at North 11th Street on Tuesday. Fortunately the bus was drive ahead of the train and no collision occurred. There were no injuries in the incident.

The police are currently investigating the incident. It has been determined that the bus driver did stop and check for the train before proceeding, and that the train was said to have been traveling at an extremely slow speed. The bus drive has been reassigned to bus monitor as investigation is ongoing.

About Vehicle Accidents

School buses are among the most well-known means of transportation. From the American School Bus Council, an estimated 480,000 yellow school buses provide transportation daily in the United States, with a figure of 25 million elementary and secondary school children riding these buses. According to injury facts from the National Safety Council, school buses actually provide a the best means of safe transportation, and is much safer than the two alternatives, which is by walking or riding in a car. However, it does not mean accidents cannot happen. In 2017, school bus-related crashes were responsible for 95 deaths across the nation. According to the statistics, however, 70% of the deaths involved in the crashes were occupants in other cars, with 17% of the victims being pedestrians such as in this case. Only 6% of the victims were passengers of the school bus, 4% were school bus drivers and the smallest percentage of deaths was 3% with pedalcyclists. We can gather from these facts that school buses are generally safe for those passengers and drivers, and fatalities usually involve someone else on the street.

To make the streets safe for everyone, we urge all drivers and pedestrians to be aware of their surroundings and follow traffic regulations at all times. Aside from that, another way to ensure safety is to check that one’s vehicle is fit for the road. And in case of any incident, wearing seat belts can minimize any damage received. These simple steps can prevent any undesirable loss, damage, injuries or fatalities on yourself and for everyone else around you.

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